Al woke up in pain. He felt like his spine was trying to stretch itself out and the rest of his bones were popping from their sockets. He was sweating and could barely breathe. Immediately, he knew what was happening. 

He'd spent his entire life with Addy. He'd loved her since they were young. When she was brought into the world, his life had changed. He had a new purpose, a friend. But something had changed. He still loved her, but his heart was different. He was ready. He knew that now. 

But his body knew it, too. He'd heard about this before. He'd never thought it would happen to him, but sometimes mates don't turn immediately. Something had to happen. Their hearts have to be mirrored, each reflecting the other. It made sense, then, that only now would Al change. 

Terror seeped into him. He fell from his bed, forcing his burning muscles to move. Move. He had to go. He gripped the sheets, pulling himself shakily to his feet. He leaned heavily on the bed frame, taking a deep breath before shoving himself towards the door. 

Every inch of his skin stung like a thousand bees were swarming him, waves of them colonizing his body. His vision blurred as he weakly grasped the doorknob. He coughed as it got harder to breathe. 

"Addy," Al choked. He pulled the door open, his sweat dripping down his nose. He barely noticed it as he stumbled into the corridor. The royal red carpets were just as soft as they always were, but even under Al's bare feet, he couldn't feel it. He couldn't feel anything other than pain and the sickening feeling of cool air on his burning skin. Somehow, even the cold, which should have been refreshing, felt like it was burning, too. It just made it worse. 

Al just wanted to get to Addy's room. She was alone. It was night now. There was usually no one in the hallways this late. Al didn't want Addy to have to do this alone. She was in pain right now, and just the thought made Al want to vomit. 

Actually...Al leaned on the wall and lost the contents of his stomach right there in the hallway. He gasped for air aftward, closing his eyes and breathing hard. He felt his strength fading fast. He had to be fast. 

Tears squeezed from his eyes as he pushed forward. He needed to get to Addy before he could no longer move. At least, if he was with her, it might not be as bad. He wanted her to know that he was there for her, going through the same thing she was. This was how it was supposed to happen, right? They were supposed to find each other, even through blinding pain. 

The thought of Addy was the only thing that kept him going. He slid along the wall, using it as support as he pictured Addy's devious smile. He felt her gentle gaze on him as he pushed himself on. 

But soon enough, the first bone broke. Al's forearm twisted backward as if yanked by an invisible assailant. He heard a loud snap and his vision went bright red. He screamed and sobbed. Addy!

He fell to his knees, dizziness overcoming him. But he forced himself forward anyway. He had to get to her and tell her it was going to be ok. This wouldn't go on forever. They were going to make it through together. He crawled and crawled, his arm bent out of shape. When he trusted himself enough, he tried to pull himself to his feet again. 

As he did so, the pain came again. Another wave of agony shook his confidence. The muscles in his arm felt like they were ripping themselves from his bones, tendons tearing. Al screamed again. This time, he knew that he couldn't go any farther. He could barely move now. 

His last ounce of energy was spent when he desperately reached out and grabbed the closest doorknob, twisting it and swinging the door open. He stood there suspended in the doorway, barely holding himself up. 

"Lion..." Al collapsed, but his brother was close enough to the door--probably having heard the scream--to catch him. 

"What the hell, Al?" Lionel said, alarmed. Al could see his brother's fear as if it were written in big letters on his forehead. 

Cole was beside them almost immediately. "What's going on? Did someone hurt you?" he demanded angrily. Cole was fierce when he wanted to be. The Pack respected him almost as much as they did his sister. 

Al tried to form words, but he couldn't. His mouth hung open. He panted, closing his eyes and trying to focus. He felt Lionel's arms tighten around him and Cole's cool hands on his face. He felt a little bit better, but he couldn't stop thinking about Addy. He just wanted to be close to her. He wanted to protect her. 

"Ad-" Al clenched his jaw. His skin felt like it was on fire. "Addy." Al opened his eyes desperately, begging silently for his brother to understand. He reached up and grabbed Lionel's wrist, clinging tightly as Cole smoothed Al's sweaty hair away from his eyes. 

For a sickening moment, Al thought that Lionel wasn't going to understand. But thankfully, finally, his expression changed. Lionel's lips parted. "Oh god."

"It's Addy," Al said through gritted teeth. His nails dug into Lionel's skin as his other arm started to rip itself apart. He cried out, crying now. Al wasn't strong. He hated pain. He was terrified of it. And now, here he was, immersed in it...swimming in black, endless acid. 

"You're changing," Cole realized. 

"We have to move him," Lionel said urgently. "Come on." 

"You mean...Addy?" Cole said, already leaning down. His arms wove underneath Al's body. Lionel nodded, flinching as Al screamed again. "God, what's Kaleb going to say?"

"Doesn't matter right now. We worry about that later," Lionel said. 

Cole struggled to keep Al close as he writhed. Lionel looked up at his mate and somehow smiled. Cole was crying. "He's going to be ok," Lionel said. "We just need to get him to Addy." 

Cole nodded, determined but still crying. "I know. I can't help it." 

They walked down the hall with Al, their pace fast and their hearts beating faster. Addy's room wasn't far away. Some people popped out of their rooms, but Lionel quickly talked them down. He jogged ahead, pulling Addy's door open before Cole arrived with Al. 

They'd heard the screams before they'd even seen her. 

Addy barely heard the door open. The torture was blinding her. But then she smelled Al, like burying her nose in the pages of a book. Her pain immediately lessened and she raised her head. "Al," she said weakly.

Cole stood in the doorway, a limp Al in his arms. Addy's eyes welled up seeing him like that. Lionel lingered in the doorway, watching as Cole carried Al closer. Al turned his head and saw Addy, his expression melting. He was still in pain, but he seemed relieved. She reached out to him, taking his outstretched hand as Cole slowly lowered him onto the bed beside her. 

"You two will be ok," Cole said quietly. "Be strong. You'll make it through. We'll be outside." Then they were gone, the door shutting behind them. 

"Addy," Al said finally. He was covered in sweat and wasn't wearing a shirt. Addy could feel his presence buzzing in the air around her like a force field, protecting her from the pain even if just for a moment. "Are you ok? I was-" He hissed and his grip tightened on her hand. She whimpered again. "I was worried. I knew you were-" 

"I'm ok," she said, nodding. She pulled herself closer to him slowly. It took more energy than it should have, but she made it. She touched her forehead to his, closing her eyes. She reached up and hung her hand off of his soaked neck. "I'm ok. Are you?" 

He arched his neck and kissed her forehead. "No." His voice broke. "No."

Addy felt tears slide down her face. Al's body was warmer than hers even though she felt like molten lava was flowing in her veins. "I'm sorry," she said quietly. She stroked his face over and over again, trying to comfort him. 

"It's ok," he said, nodding. He opened his eyes and looked at her. "I didn't want you--to be alone."

Addy pulled her legs closer to her chest, her body contorting as her ribs separated. She screamed. She didn't want to, but she couldn't help it. It was like her voice had a life of its own, clawing and scraping its way out of her like a little monster. 

But Al was there. There were going through it together. And they did. His voice comforted her until it couldn't anymore, until his voice was no longer his voice. After, it was his eyes that stayed with her. She could still smell him, feel him beside her. The pain wasn't as bad with him there, going through it, too. 

Despite the darkness they faced, Addy could feel a sort of soft, warm light surrounding them. It embraced them, softening each blow mercifully. 

After it was done and all of Addy's energy had gone, she fell asleep beside Al. It was like falling peacefully into that light, knowing it would catch her, trusting it would always be there. Because Al was there. He was there and he smelled like the pages of a book, like adventures and like love. 

It was going to be ok.